Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Prey Of The Lycan Queen Chapter 22

~Lyon~

The next day.

I glanced sideways at Zirah, her mesmerizing gaze scanned the horizon of my kingdom. There was a vibrancy about her, an energy that seemed to reflect onto the landscape, making it seem more alive, more inviting. And yet, the insecurity gnawing at my insides was hard to ignore.

Will she like it here? Could she accept the simplicity of my world?

We moved towards the outskirts of the city where I'd planned for a picnic, an opportunity for Ziarah to soak in the everyday life of my people. My kingdom may lack in luxuries, but it doesn't fail in providing a sense of community, warmth, and belonging and no one goes without.

"So, is it always like this?" Zirah asked, pointing to where everyone had converged in the city center, everyone pulling up chairs or lazing about while snacking from the grazing tables. "Yes, we are the produce kingdom, we have most of the farms here, along with a huge salmon farm. We supply the other kingdoms with fresh produce in exchange for what we need, everything is then shared amongst the kingdom." I explained as she picked up a piece of watermelon.

"So you eat most meals together?” she asked and I nodded. "Every night, I would have brought you here last night, but didn't want to overwhelm you on your first night here,” I told her. "This place is overwhelming," she admitted. "But for all the right reasons," she added, just as Agatha approached us.

She was one of the locals, an elderly woman with a twinkle in her eyes. "My King," she nodded, handing me a basket full of food and a blanket. "You should take your Queen to visit Serenity, I hear it's warm at the moment,”

"I will think about it, Aggy,” I told her. Serenity - our local secret, a serene waterfall that has been the source of leisure and joy for my people since we discovered it. It is in the mountain behind the castle, but the water is always unusually warm, like hot springs. Zirah turned to me, her eyes filled with an eagerness I can't deny. "What's Serenity, Lyon?" The woman smiled fondly and I chuckled.

"I guess I better show you then," I told her.

My kingdom may not be grand, but we've thrived on our ability to live with the essentials and nothing more. Everyone has a place, a role and no one goes without. I hope Zirah understands this essence of what I am trying to build here. This is my redemption for my sins, the only way I knew how.

Grabbing her hand, I pull her toward the forest. The sun is shining bright overhead, and a gentle breeze ruffles through the leaves as we walk through the forest. I can feel Zirah's excitement growing with every step we take. Her hand is warm in mine, and I find myself staring at her fingers, admiring their delicate beauty.

We soon reach the base of the mountain, where we start to climb up rocky terrain. Zirah is athletic and nimble on her feet, and she climbs up with ease which makes me want to ask her what it was like to grow up in a cave. I try to keep up with her, but she moves too quickly for me sometimes

As we climb higher and higher, the forest becomes denser, and the canopy above thickens. Eventually, we reach a clearing where sunlight filters down through the branches of trees, casting shadows on the ground.

That's when we see it - Serenity. A huge Waterfall in all its glory. The waterfall is fed by a hot spring located deep within the mountain, which keeps the water at an even temperature all year round, even when the mountain is covered in snow. As we approach it, I can hear the sound of the water crashing down onto rocks.

Zirah gasps as she takes in the sight before her. She stood there for a moment, taking it all in — the waterfall cascading down into a pool of crystal-clear water, surrounded by lush greenery and rocks covered in moss.

"It's so beautiful,” she says, her voice filled with wonder.

I smile at her reaction. We stand at the edge of the waterfall, feeling the mist on our faces as we take in the sight before us. As promised, it's warm, almost hot to the touch. Shadow jumps straight in followed by Hunter. However, Gnash lays on a giant rock watching them.

"Do you want to go in?" I ask, gesturing towards the water. Zirah glanced around.

"No one will come up here, Agatha would have sent word, she loves to gossip, she also loves to mother everyone,” I laughed.

She nods eagerly, and I can see the excitement in her eyes as she strips off her clothes with no fear. I can't help but stare at her. The runes covering her arms flickering, yet the ones running from her throat down her body are mesmerizing.

She dips her toe into the water, her eyes lighting up. "It is warm," she giggles before diving in. She's magnificent. But I can't take my eyes off the tattoos running down her body, glimmering under the water. I can see the outline of her body through the translucent material, the runes on her arms flicker. I can see her full breasts, the outline of her slender body, and the curve of her waist.

Moving closer I strip my clothes off, tossing them on the rock beside Gnash. The crystal clear water is inviting, you can see the bottom, fish that can handle the warmer water swim past, and little bubbles rise up to the surface. I follow suit, jumping in and letting the warm water envelope me.

As we spend the day together, Zirah asks about Zeke. "Is Zeke's kingdom like this?" she asks. I feel a pang in my chest. Zeke, with all his flaws, does have a kingdom that boasts more luxuries than mine. I can't deny the sting of jealousy, a feeling that I swiftly push down. "No, opposite actually,” I tell her, and she nods. Reaching into the basket I grab the containers out that Agatha had packed for us. Laying naked on our picnic mat we eat.

"Why do you live like this, Lyon?" she asks, her voice soft but filled with curiosity.

I look at her, the question stirring up old memories and emotions that I've spent a long time burying. "I wanted to atone for my past mistakes, make up for what I did to Litha, I thought if I could just prove I was capable of good, the curse would break," I confess. The words echo through the silence, heavy and fraught with meaning. "I thought I killed my mate...and my brothers. I betrayed them for this place, so I owed it to you and Litha to make sure I took care of it."

My voice breaks a little, guilt seeping into every word. I can still feel the sting of their betrayal, the raw pain I felt when I thought I killed our mate. "I've always felt guilty. Living this way...it's my attempt to make up for it. It's the least I can do for my people, for my brothers."

I don't meet her gaze, the weight of my confession becoming too much. I can only hope that she understands, and that she sees the man I've become instead of the one I used to be. That she can look past my mistakes and see the effort I've made to better myself, for my kingdom, and for her.

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